Flat6I M9X Engine Assy Video impressions

I have had the opportunity to watch the DVD set from Flat 6 Innovations Focus On: M9X Engine Assembly and have a few comments. First about me: I am NOT an engine expert especially on the M9X style! I have repaired and done maintenance on my cars over the 53 years of car ownership(Yes I'm an old guy!) In addition, during my 35+ year career with a major railroad I worked in the locomotive maintenance department which, at various times, was either maintenance or complete engine and component overhauls on locomotives up to 4,000hp. so I've been inside a few engines. During my career I was also called on to review training presentations to verify accuracy, content and presentability. My opinion: The Flat 6 Innovations Focus On: M9X Engine Assembly is a "keeper" for DIY'ers, engine rebuilders, mechanics or just folks who want to know the insides of the engine and how it goes together. Why do I feel this way? #1: The quality of the production is outstanding. Recordings both visual and voice are clear with various angles, proper lighting and close-ups when needed. A very professional presentation. #2: The videos are broken up into segments that correspond with the build process. It is not just hit start and run through the whole build. To me this is valuable because it presents each process as it's own important part of the deal. The small bites let the viewer absorb the information and not be overwhelmed. #3: Each segment starts with a description of the task(process overview), a part identification discussion and a "tooling required" discussion. In addition, at this time any safety concerns are mentioned up front and repeated during the actual performing of the task. #4: Actual performance of the task at hand with verbal and visual instructions of how and why again including any safety concerns. #5: A recap of the process after completed, again, addressing not only the "how" but also the "why" it is important to complete the task as described. #6: On the more "tricky" processes(bank two piston installation, valve train/camshaft installation and camshaft timing to mention a few) extra time is spent to stress the importance and any possible hazards of these tasks.("If this happens you're going to have a very bad day.") #7: Throughout the videos there are numerous "silver bullets" shared by Jake learned from his decades long experience with M9X and other "flat" engines. These alone are worth the price of admission. The above are just some of the highlights I feel make this a valuable resource. I just wished some of the RR presentations I reviewed had been this detailed, concise, accurate and technically heavy without be boring, but they weren't. Will I ever build one of these engines? No, probably not I'm too old(see above). Could I build one based on these videos? I think I could.

Quotes source post: 16370746

Just finished watching the series myself, and agree with your comments. I'll be putting the series to practice come March/April. I think it's wise to watch it the first time through taking notes specifically regarding the necessary tools and other materials.

Mine is supposed to be delivered tomorrow!

Thanks guys! We killed ourselves to do this.. I really did enjoy it, though.. We used the video in the hands- on class last week, and it mad the class the most organized we've ever had. We also finished the class 3 hours early, and guys simply did not have any questions. I enjoyed making the series, and that means there's a lot more to come. The entire upstairs of my training facility will be converted into 3 different studios over the next few months. I would rather do these videos than hands- on classes, and honestly, they are a better value for the buyer, too. I am so glad that all that have purchased are so pleased. A few "opinionated folks" over on facebook that have not purchased the series seem to say that the content is not worth the cost of the video, but they have no idea the undertaking that is experienced to produce 15 solid hours of edited content, shot from 6 different cameras, with closed captioning being involved. Their comments are irrelevant until they are buyers.

Quotes source post: 16370917

There's some **** talk going on right now on FB about this. Might be a good idea to nip it in the butt! Or let them entertain themselves... I don't have it yet, but I will. Thanks Jake for doing this.

A little bit off topic but curious... If you purchase these videos and elect to rebuild your engine as a DIYer, what kind of investment in parts/tools would be needed to complete? So let's say $600+ for the videos and would it be another $5000 in parts? Just wondering what is the investment compared to a short block from an engine builder.

Quotes source post: 16370944

I can't... The moderators on those pages kicked me off, and banned me, even though I never posted! You can bet that these people are sleeping with the enemy, and probably have knockoff IMS kits in their engines. Let them talk, their opinion is absolutely irrelevant until they become a purchaser of the product. They won't. On top of that, my part is done.. I don't care how many sell, I already have my paycheck :-)

Quotes source post: 16370969

The parts bill varies, based on what you intend to do. It could be from 3,000- 15,000 for parts and processes. LN's tool rental program and engine kit program coupled with the video make this really easy. Buy the engine kit, and rent the tools, and do it all yourself.

Quotes source post: 16370969

Here's a useful thread regarding the parts: https://rennlist.com/forums/996-foru...under-10k.html For tools I'll probably be in for another $1k all said and done. Depends what all LN plans to offer for tool rental going forward.

[QUOTE=Flat6 Innovations;16370974 On top of that, my part is done..[/QUOTE] And very well done at that!

Quotes source post: 16370862

Same here. I'll be studying while the block and heads are out getting massaged.

Excellent, thanks for sharing! I hope I'll never need the videos, but its nice to know that the resource is out there. A couple quick questions - do the videos cover evaluating your engine to determine the parts that need to be replaced? Also, is there any parts list included or recommended parts manufacturers for key components? Cheers Charlie

The drama on FB is cracking me up. 99% of those people have no intention of buying it but are complaining about the price. Justifying it by saying Jake is leaving money on the table by charging too much when in reality they know nothing about the financials surrounding it, none of us do. I look at this series like a specialty tool, it's for a very specific audience and you may need it to complete your project. I have no need for it right now but if I decided to go the route of rebuilding an engine myself I would just consider it as part of the cost of a rebuild.

Quotes source post: 16371394

Jake might pop in but the answers to your questions are no and no. This video series is focused on assembly of the engine.

Quotes source post: 16371496

Correct.. Assembly only. Assembly is THE most important part, case in point is the Boost Brothers Garage YouTube channel, where they are trying to build an M9X and goofed up every step! No, there’s no references to companies to buy parts from, or processes. This would be an infomercial that would **** people off. It would also date the video. My first video from 21 years ago is still valid because the material was closely chosen for that purpose. I had many companies that tried to sponsor the video. I said NO. There’s no reference to any company in the video, not even my own. I taped over all the logos, even on the parts that I invented. There’s zero advertisement in the videos. There’s also nothing to date the videos, or change later. One reason for this was Amazon Prime Video being used for streaming, they are very hard to comply with when it comes to this content.

Quotes source post: 16371511

WRONG! The Jake in the type IV video is a little younger and skinnier Weren't we all....

Quotes source post: 16371696

Just about 30 pounds more, now that I lost 40!

Just read the FB posts....too funny. As an owner of multiple 914s i used to think 914 owners were cheap. I think that 996 prices have dropped to the point that many 996 owners have taken the title of BDMFers (broke d!ck mother f...ers ) The poll of what the DVD's should sell for is just ludicrous

Jake, I think your advice and products are generally good for the 996 community. I am not one of your nay-sayers. But just FYI, your “signature” is just a big advertisement for you and your product, and I think your Position as a “sponsor” to the 996 Forum is a conflict of interest; don’t you think you are just advertising for your own company and self-profit? Certainly your fan club doesn’t, lol. Can’t the “owners” of rennlist.com find your self-marketing gratuitous and self-profiting, or do you have some kind of deal going on? I think your marketing creates a pretty strong image of you as a huckster, not a mentor or teacher, which is what probably most people prefer as sponsor of this forum.

Quotes source post: 16371808

I do not sponsor the 996 forum. LN Engineering sponsors this forum. I sponsor Rennlist as a whole, and I pay good money to be here offering advice. There's no conflict of interest, hell my company, Flat 6 Innovations doesn't even sell the videos! You can't buy one from Flat 6 if you try!

Quotes source post: 16370944

...nip it in the bud... Surely this correction is the most important lesson in this thread.... Bill, you're welcome, for the elimination of any future awkward or embarrassing moments... my work is done here...

I was just a proud owner of the dvd set when I posted it on Facebook. Not affiliated with any company, just a guy with a scored engine and trying my hardest to get my car back on the road. I couldn't believe the people complaining about the price and the other half complaining who don't own a dvd player. They closed off my post so more people could post pictures of their 996 odometers or dirty car I guess. Since we can't get enough posts of those things. Anyways couldn't sleep so figured I should reply and just thank Jake again for all the work now that I got some viewing time.

Quotes source post: 16372011

Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?

Quotes source post: 16371808

"I think your advice and products are generally good..." "I am not one of you nay-sayers" "But..." The experts say the word "but" negates everything previously said and your post seems to prove that fully. As is said about opinions...everybody has one. Another thing about opinions are they don't have to be based on anything in reality and they don't have to be correct. "o�pin�ion noun a view or judgment formed about something, not necessarily based on fact or knowledge."

Quotes source posts: 16370981, 16370992

Thank you both! At a decision point with my 996 as I love the car but approaching 200k so need to figure out if it's time to upgrade to something newer or rebuild and get another 10+ years of use out of it.

Quotes source post: 16371808

It seems like you're confused about why someone would choose to spend their money to 'sponsor' anything. It's not because they want to be a mentor or a teacher, it's because they're trying to put their goods and services in front of a specific target audience. Sponsoring literally gives someone the right to sell on the forum, that's how the forum supports itself and that's why people pay to sponsor. The fact that Jake takes time out of his day to answer questions and share his experience with everyone for free is just an added bonus. His signature is big - but I imagine that being a forum sponsor enables users to utilize a larger signature. Besides he just released a new premium product that I'm sure took hundreds of hours to plan, film, and edit. If I invested that much of my life into something I'd probably want to scream it from the rooftops as well.

Quotes source post: 16372011

Thanks for looking out, unlike most of my errors, this was intentional (my pops used the term often) as I felt some A$$'s needed chewing on over there on FB... Scotty, Fun fact, we have an old Russian fort here. The Germans had no interest!

Quotes source post: 16372053

Thank you. The overviews of actual purchasers are all that I care about. The views of the online peanut gallery are insignificant. Always have been, always will be. What matters are the dozens of testimonials and kudos that I have received by actual purchasers that have reviewed the video. These are all reasons why I have no part of video sales, and why Flat 6 doesn't distribute the videos. To all of those that are complaining about the price, they also can't afford to own a Porsche, either. They may have afforded to purchase it, but it costs real money to own it; they just haven't figured that out yet. This video series took 115 hours just to film. It then took over 400 hours to edit. If anyone actually knows how much one edited minute of professionally produced video goes for, the price of the video instantly gets extremely UNDER priced. Last time I checked, my personal time was worth 225.00/ hr, so you can do the math on that, by multiplying it by 115 hours, and the video got even cheaper. That said, I won't put any effort into justifying the cost. The material that is shared into the video isn't regurgitated BS from a workshop manual. This material is all mine, and there were no notes or teleprompter used. If someone doesn't;t want to buy hot, so be it. I got my paycheck already, and used it to buy a 1942 Half Track for my collection. Doesn't matter to me what sells, or who bitches. Oh, you better believe it.. Now I'll do it even more, just because it feels good to make some people's head explode.

Xposting my own question from elsewhere (definitely NOT 996Outpost.com): So, could a semi-accomplished DIY hack, assuming the correct tools and parts, handle this job? i.e. is it comprehensive enough that a capable DIYer could realistically tackle the project, or is some engine-building a prerequisite? I have plenty of time wrenching, but the last engine I completely disassembled and reassembled was a Briggs & Stratton mower engine when I was a kid...

Quotes source post: 16371808

What exactly do you think you are going to accomplish ? Less free & valuable information from THE Best source ?

Quotes source post: 16371394

I'm sure Charles Navarro can give you more accurate information, but LN sells the replacement parts for someone that is rebuilding one of these engines. Here is the link: (scroll to the bottom) https://lnengineering.com/rnd-store/...uild-kits.html I not sure if you save money over buying it from Porsche and other manufacturers, but it sure does take a lot of the headache and mystery out of it.

Quotes source post: 16372011

Actually, you are in error. There are no absolutes with it comes to idioms in the English language. The alternate expression "nip it in the butt" is a twist on the expression "nip it in the bud" made famous by the Barney Fife character portrayed by Don Knotts.

Quotes source post: 16371808

Huskster? I haven't heard that term in ages. What's next, Jake Raby is an "panhandler" or "shyster"? Seems to me that Jake Raby and Flat 6 Innovations plays by the rules and pays for the right to put marketing initiatives in the signature line of his posts, but unlike most vendors on the forums, Jake Raby has gone over and above to help the DiY Porsche community. Most vendors just come on the forums to peddle their products and have no care in the world to help us learn more about our cars and what causes them to fail.

Quotes source post: 16372725

The video is EXACTLY for THIS scenario. Every step of assembly is gone over with great detail, from lecture, tools needed, components needed, and actual assembly.

Quotes source post: 16372759

Barney does in fact nip it in the bud !

Quotes source post: 16372759

One of my favorite mixed metaphors is from that theatrical classic, The Big Lebowski . "Does the pope **** in the woods"?

This metaphoric expression , alluding to a spring frost that kills flower buds , was first recorded in a Beaumont and Fletcher play of 1606-1607. Ain't the internet great....lol Those who can do : That's Jake Those who can't: Whiners, complainers....but i'm guessing mostly jealous

Quotes source post: 16372725

Just to back up what was said above...Yes! I feel an old broken down retired railroader who hasn't been inside of a gasoline engine since 1991 could put one back together properly using this video series as a guide you could easily do the same. With the proper parts, tooling and patience this video will give you the information and the "secrets" you need to put an M9X engine back together properly. What is a 996Outpost.com anyway?

Quotes source post: 16372593

The amount of effort needed to create a product doesn’t (or shouldn’t) enter into the pricing question. It’s about value. I don’t see how anyone could get more value for $600. That is indeed a bargain, but not because of the production costs. If Jake had created the videos merely by snapping his fingers they’d still be worth the same amount (to a rational buyer). Ask, “if the videos didn’t exist, what then would it cost to acquire the information that’s in them?” The answer to that will be nearer the videos’ true value.

Quotes source post: 16373044

The sales of the videos, at the current pricing is a testament to the perceived value they hold. More and more people will buy them due to word of mouth, as the detail helps engines be built. Oddly enough, my very first instructional video was on the Porsche 914/ VW bus engine. That was 21 years ago, and people bitched about the video costing 40 bucks per copy, with only 2 hours of content provided.. 26,000 copies later, hundreds of engine have been built with that video. It is still sold worldwide today, but it isn't "expensive" anymore. People are going to have opinions, and bitch. That's why I prefer engines. When they **** me off, I can run them wide open throttle till they melt down, and then crush them.

Quotes source post: 16373091

Now there's a video I'd like to buy !

Quotes source post: 16373180

Jake has a short video of one engine that pissed him off. As Jamie from Mythbusters says "Jamie want big boom!:

Quotes source post: 16373223

Yep, the 50 BMG did a number on it... I actually just found one of the cylinder heads, 18 months later.. It was 300 yards away from the site of the explosion, and embedded into the trunk of an oak tree.. Ava and I found it while tracking a deer we shot.

Quotes source post: 16373234

Now that's family bonding at its best.

Quotes source post: 16372759

Well then, for ...Hell's sake... I strongly suggest we ...nip this in the butt... for all intents and porpoises...before ...someone loses an ear... a quarter for your thoughts...

*all intensive porpoises

Quotes source post: 16372472

My old man frequently says "that'll throw a monkey in the works"...rather than, "throw a monkey wrench/wrench/spanner in the works".....to Nutty's point, it isn't technically wrong cuz throwing a monkey in there sure will cause a hella mess, but probably isn't as catastrophic as chucking a wrench in.

I'll take my chances with the monkey wrench. Your father must have been a wise man.

Another fine moment on Rennlist... to all of you!

Quotes source post: 16375854

I agree, his father nailed it! A monkey by far can do more damage.

Quotes source post: 16375854

left handed or right handed monkey wrench?

Quotes source post: 16376078

All of mine are left-handed. I have to special order them. They come at a premium; but it's worth it...

PCA Review https://www.pca.org/news/2020-01-23/...GVtSGWfK0wXm7w 'M9X Engine Assembly' DVD set shows you how to build Porsche M96 and M97 engines Thursday, January 23, 2020 Article and photos by Damon Lowney What is it: Five-DVD box set that illustrates full process to build an M9X engine Where to buy: The Knowledge Gruppe(link is external) Many of us work on our own cars to some extent, whether changing the oil, replacing brake pads, or performing other kinds of general maintenance. Some of us are even more proficient hobby mechanics and can perform extensive work in a home garage. But one task that has always seemed best left to professionals is building an engine. After watching Focus On: M9X Engine Assembly with some healthy skepticism, I came away with more knowledge of how the M97 engine in my own Porsche works as well as more confidence in my unproven ability to build its engine. In the interest of transparency, I have limited mechanical ability. I’ve replaced engine mounts and brake pads and rotors in a Porsche 944 S2, as well as its radiator with some help, lowered my Volkswagen Golf with new springs and shocks, and performed oil changes. Any work that includes fluids or seems complicated makes me nervous, which explains my skepticism about how this five-DVD box set would apply to me. Would I be able to comprehend the assembly instructions given by Jake Raby of Flat 6 Innovations? Would I gain enough confidence from the knowledge contained in the box set to feel comfortable attempting to build a M96/M97 engine? Anybody who’s a garage mechanic and has a smartphone has probably used YouTube videos to guide them on certain projects. I did just that when lowering my Golf and have begun to search for a decent video that will show me what a successful brake and clutch fluid flush looks like on my Cayman. One of the drawbacks of YouTube is you often don’t know how great of a mechanic the presenter is or if they are using correct or accepted techniques. Honest intent doesn’t always translate to good results, and there are probably just as many bad YouTube mechanic videos as there are good ones. In M9X Engine Assembly , the presenter is an expert with experience building hundreds of M96 and M97 engines, which apply to all Porsche 911s (excluding Turbo, GT3, and GT2), Boxsters, and Caymans from model years 1997-2008. I was comfortable taking the information I would learn at face value. Fortunately I had a sense of what to expect from Raby, as PCA filmed a video series in which he explained the intermediate shaft (IMS) bearing, its problems, and its fixes. In that series, he was adept at taking complicated systems and breaking them down into more easily understood bits of information. With this in mind, I fired up the DVD player and started the first episode of the box set, “Crankshaft Carrier Assembly Part 1,” hoping I wouldn’t be lost by the end. When I completed the first episode, I couldn’t wait to start the next one, which would finish the assembly of the crankshaft carrier. I learned something I hadn’t known before and was convinced that, as I progressed through the series, I would have a much greater understanding about how all the individual parts work as a system. It took me two full weekend days to watch everything — that’s 17 episodes of a complete engine rebuild of a M97 engine plus three supplemental episodes covering subjects specific to five-chain M96 engines. Raby went step by step in exhaustive detail, using his experience teaching engine building classes to explain and sometimes re-explain processes. Each stage, or episode, of the build completes a mini milestone of assembly and allows viewers to take in information at a digestible rate. The other benefit of this approach is proper tool management. Each stage often requires a unique combination of tools, which are neatly laid out and explained before that episode’s assembly begins. Compartmentalizing each stage of the build process helps with organization, keeping tools and parts out of the picture until they’re needed. Many of the tools used are common in the average home garage, and Raby makes an effort to show us processes that involve the least amount of specialty tools possible — except when it’s safer to use them. For example, I would definitely use a bore scope when installing bank 2 pistons and to make sure I’ve installed the wrist-pin circlips properly, and the special camshaft locking tool for use when setting timing. By the end of the series, a completed M97 flat six was affixed to the engine stand, and I oddly felt a sense of accomplishment in spite of not having turned a single wrench. I’ll attribute that to the knowledge I gained from watching the build. Having been around Porsches for my whole life and produced content about them for a decade, I have had only a vague sense of how an M9X engine works, not a detailed view of how all its parts go together from the crankshaft to the cylinder heads. The common problem areas of this engine series — IMS bearing, rear main seal leaks, air-oil separator failures — all have greater meaning to me now as well. If I were to be given a choice on whether to purchase a factory manual to rebuild a M9X engine or use this M9X Engine Assembly series, I’d choose the latter. A factory manual, like all books, may tell you the official ways to build an engine, but it can’t show you how to build one like these DVDs can. Furthermore, this series goes well beyond the average YouTube mechanic video: It is a complete guide to an engine rebuild and doesn’t leave out any single step, right down to what type of assembly lubricant or grease works best for the job at hand. One thing to note is that Raby’s build process deviates from the factory manual on a few occasions, but these deviations have been learned through experience, tested, and are meant to either make a particular step easier or, more importantly, offer more protection from mistakes, which can lead to catastrophic engine failure. At the least, for the fledgling mechanic who’s decided to build one of these engines, I would consider Focus On: M9X Engine Assembly a required tool. For the seasoned engine builder, it could be a refreshing source of information that may present new processes to employ. For the casual viewer, however, there’s one thing that will factor into whether it’s a smart purchase: the price. Just as it’s probably not a great idea to spend hundreds of dollars on a Porsche factory workshop manual if you’re not going to work on your car, I can’t recommend spending $629 on the M9X Engine Assembly box set unless you plan to rebuild your engine yourself or have an obsessive interest in all things about these Porsches. That said, if I hadn’t watched this video, I wouldn’t consider rebuilding an engine for my Cayman. Now that I’ve seen it done on my TV screen, I might attempt an engine rebuild in the future. If you’re mechanically inclined and are pretty sure you’ll rebuild your engine down the line, then consider M9X Engine Assembly as homework. Watch it once, maybe twice to familiarize yourself and gain some confidence before starting the work. M9X Engine Assembly is not aimed at the novice hobby mechanic. With this in mind, please note the box set leaves some crucial steps out that don’t have anything to do with engine building. Gathering parts for the build is largely left up to you. Though Raby provides valuable insight with regards to some parts, his focus is almost purely on assembly. The series also won’t tell you how to disconnect and drop the engine from your car, how to disassemble the engine, how to catalog parts removed during disassembly, or how to install the flat six back into your car. I will venture as far to say that leaving out these pre- and post-rebuild steps was likely an intentional decision by Raby and his crew. After all, if you’re considering rebuilding your engine, you should be comfortable and competent enough to remove, disassemble, and install it. The bottom line: Focus On: M9X Engine Assembly is an invaluable tool for those who plan to rebuild their engine. For everybody else, it’s a new way to learn about the M9X series of engines, but not required viewing.